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September 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is now accepting nominations for the Society’s 2012 awards honoring excellence in astronomy research, technology, education, and public outreach. Recipients receive a cash award and engraved plaque, as well as travel and lodging to accept the award at the Society’s 124th annual meeting. Full
Press Release.

July 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), in partnership with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), presented the annual Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high-school students at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 8 to 13 in Los Angeles, California. Full
Press Release.

June 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) today announces the winners of its 2011 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. Full
Press Release.

June 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces
that Dr. Jeremiah P. Ostriker has been awarded the 2011 Catherine
Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full
Press Release.

October 2010 - Thirty-five interpreters from national, regional and state parks, nature centers, and outdoor education centers around the U.S. attended a
four-day astronomy interpretation workshop at Yosemite National Park, October 8-11, 2010.

June 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), in partnership with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), has presented the annual Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high-school seniors at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 9 to 14 in San Jose, California. Full
Press Release.

April 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announces the winners of its 2010 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. Full
Press Release.

March 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces
that Dr. Gerry Neugebauer has been awarded the 2010 Catherine
Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full
Press Release.

October
2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
is now accepting nominations for the Society’s 2010
awards honoring excellence in astronomy research, technology,
education, and public outreach. Recipients receive a cash
award and engraved plaque, as well as travel and lodging to
accept the award at the Society’s 122nd annual meeting,
to be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder from July
31 – August 4, 2010. Full
Press Release.

September
2009 - As part of its 2009 annual meeting program,
the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) will feature
Hubble Space Telescope repair mission astronaut, Dr. John
M. Grunsfeld, NASA, and noted SETI Institute scientists, Drs.
Frank Drake, Seth Shostak, Margaret Race, and Douglas Caldwell,
in public presentations at the Westin San Francisco Airport
Hotel, 1 Old Bayshore Highway in Millbrae, California. Full
Press Release.

July
2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
presented Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high School
Seniors at the Intel International Science and Engineering
Fair held May 10 to 15 in Reno this year. Full
Press Release.

July
2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
will present its 2009 annual meeting September 12-16 in the
San Francisco Bay Area at the Westin San Francisco Airport
Hotel, 1 Old Bayshore Highway in Millbrae, California. Full
Press Release.

June
2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
announces the winners of its 2009 awards for excellence in
astronomy research and education. Full
Press Release.

May
2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces
that Dr. Frank H. Shu has been awarded the 2009 Catherine
Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full
Press Release.

March
2009 - Former ASP Executive Officer and Foothill College
Astronomy Instructor Andrew Fraknoi is one of four community
colleges teachers to be named recipient of the 2009 Hayward
Award for Excellence in Education by the California Community
College Board of Governors. Full
Press Release.

January
2009 - The Secretary of the ASP's Board of Directors,
Mary Kay Hemenway of the University of Texas, has been announced
as the winner of the 2009 Education Prize of the American
Astronomical Society, given for "outstanding contributions
to the education of the public, students and/or the next generation
of professional astronomers."

December
2008 - The ASP Board of Directors is pleased to announce
the appointment of two new Board members: Cathy Langridge, Director
of Retail Finance at Levi Strass & Co. in San Francisco, and
Michael Gibbs, Vice President for Advancement and Assistant Professor
at Capital College in Laurel, Maryland, and former Chief Advancement
Officer for the ASP. Langridge and Gibbs will fill the two Board-appointed
seats.

September
2008 - The ASP is pleased to announce its newest members
to the ASP Board of Directors: Dr. David C. Black, President Emeritus
of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and Visiting Scientist
at USRA's Lunar and Planetary Institute; Dr. William A. Gutsch,
Jr., former Chairman of the American-Hayden Planetarium in New York
and former President & CEO of the Challenger Center for Space
Science; and Judy Kass, the former Senior Project Director for the
AAAS's Public Understanding of Science and Technology Programs.

August
2008 - Suzanne Gurton, the Education Manager at the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific (ASP), has received the 2008 Professional
Award, given each year by the Astronomical Association of Northern
California to an astronomer who has done outstanding work in distinguishing
and fostering amateur astronomy. Full Article.

March
2008 - The newest member of the ASP Board of Directors, Scott
Roberts, is featured in the April, 2008 Sky
& Telescope magazine in an article titled, "A Friend
Indeed" written by former ASP Board member David Levy. The
article highlights Roberts' passion for brining astronomy to the
public.

February
2008 - Jim Kaler, ASP President and a professor emeritus
of astronomy at the University of Illinois, was recently awarded
the American Astronomical Society 2008 Education Prize that recognizes
his outstanding contributions to astronomy education. Read
the full press release written by Jim Kloeppel of the University
of Illinois News Bureau.

January
2008 - Andrew Fraknoi, astronomy and physics instructor at
Foothill College, received the prestigious American Institute of
Physics Andrew Gemant Award during the American Astronomical Society
meeting held in Austin, Texas. Full press
release.

December
20, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific comments
on the United Nations 62nd General Assembly declaration of 2009
as the International Year of Astronomy. Jim Manning, executive director
of the ASP, said, "The Astronomical Society of the Pacific
is extremely pleased by the United Nations endorsement of the International
Year of Astronomy. The sky belongs to everyone, and this global
expression of support will provide a critical impetus to our international
efforts and those of other organizations to use the appeal of astronomy
to improve science literacy in general, and to promote greater appreciation
and understanding of our place in the cosmos." Full
press release.

December,
2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), is
pleased to announce the appointment of Scott W. Roberts to a vacant
position on the Board of Directors. Roberts is the Vice President
for Global Client Support and Community Relations at Meade Instruments
Corporation and also serves as the Executive Director of the Meade
4M Community, an alliance of astronomy and space
exploration organizations and enthusiasts, with members spanning
the globe. Roberts has an extensive background in astronomy public
outreach. Full press release.

November,
2007 - Foothill College Astronomy Instructor Andrew Fraknoi,
M.A., has been named the 2007 California Professor of the Year by
the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the
Council for Advancement & Support of Education (CASE). Fraknoi
was selected from more than 300 top professors in the United States.
Full press release.

August,
2007 - ASP is pleased to announce its newest members to the
ASP Board of Directors; Edna DeVore, Deputy CEO and the Director
of Education and Public Outreach (EPO) at the SETI Institute, Phil
Sakimoto an astrophysicist; education, outreach, and diversity specialist;
and planetarian with the University of Notre Dame’s Department
of Physics and joining them is re-elected board member, Lynne Hillenbrand,
an associate professor of astronomy at the California Institute
of Technology.

May
15, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announced
today the eight winners of its 2007 awards for excellence in astronomy
research and education. The ASP's most prestigious award, the Catherine
Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy has
been awarded to Martin Harwit, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy,
Cornell University.

March
28, 2007 - ASP announces new Board of Directors officers
for 2007. James Kaler of the University of Illinois is ASP President
and joining him as Vice President is Tim Slater of the University
of Arizona. Full article.

March
21, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
announced today that James Manning has been appointed to the position
of Executive Director. Currently serving as Head of the Office of
Public Outreach of the Space Telescope Science Institute, Mr. Manning
will take up his new duties in San Francisco in early July.

August
11 , 2006 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
announced today it has named Dr. Leo Connolly of the California
State University, San Bernardino as the first recipient of the newly-created
Richard H. Emmons Award for Excellence in College Astronomy Teaching.

March
15, 2006 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP),
one of the nation's leading astronomy education organizations, announced
today that Executive Director Michael A. Bennett has informed the
Board of Directors of his intention to retire from full-time service
before the end of 2006

Mr.
Bennett has worked for the ASP for eleven years and has served as
Executive Director for over five years. "My years with this wonderful
organization have unquestionably been the most rewarding and fulfilling
of my career," said Bennett. "But now, with the ASP stable and growing,
I can start slowing down a bit. I will definitely continue serving
the ASP by working part-time on a few projects, but I am also really
looking forward to moving into semi-retirement."

"The
ASP has made great progress under Mike's tenure," said ASP President
Dennis Schatz, "especially through his leadership in sharpening
the Society's strategic focus on education and professional development
for educators. We're sorry to see him step down, but we respect
his decision and we look forward to his continued involvement with
specific projects and his help during the transition to the next
Executive Director."

October
2005 - We are delighted to announce that Michael Gibbs, Ed.D,
has joined the ASP as Chief Advancement Officer. In keeping with
the ASP's increased emphasis on private and philanthropic fundraising,
the board approved this new position several months ago and Michael
was selected after a nationwide search.

Michael
comes to us from Saint Mary's University of Winona, Minnesota, where
he served as Vice President for Development. Prior to that, he spent
several years at De Paul University in Chicago in increasingly responsible
positions, most recently as Assistant Vice President in the Office
of University Initiatives. He brings to the ASP an extensive background
in institutional advancement, development, and fundraising at the
local, regional, and national levels.

September
2005 - The Board of Directors of the Astronomical Society
of the Pacific is pleased to announce that Dr. Paula Szkody has
been appointed Editor of the Publications of the ASP, effective
January 1, 2006. Read more about Dr. Szkody.

May
17, 2005 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
announced today that the 2005 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal has
been awarded to Dr. Robert Kraft of the University of California,
Santa Cruz. The prestigious Bruce Medal is the highest honor awarded
by the ASP. Honoring a lifetime of fundamental contributions to
the field of astronomy, the Medal has been awarded annually since
1898. Read more
on Dr. Kraft and the winners of the ASP's seven other annual awards.

May
2005 - The
ASP has been awarded a major grant from the Informal Science Division
of the National Science Foundation. The four-year program, entitled
"Astronomy From the Ground Up," calls for the ASP and its project
partners to improve the capacity of dozens of smaller science centers
and science museums to bring astronomy to their audiences, through
improved staff training, materials, and professional development. More
details on this exciting new project can be found for our members
in the May/June issue of Mercury under "Last Word".

March
2005 - ASP President, Dennis Schatz, to receive NSTA's
Distinguished Service to Science Award at the NSTA Convention
in Dallas, Texas April 2, 2005.

Schatz
receives this award in recognition for his contribution to
science education. He is currently Vice President for Education
and Exhibits at the Pacific Science Center, the major informal science
museum in Seattle, WA. He has been one of the key managers of that
institution since 1980, guiding major exhibits that traveled around
the US, overseeing a number of influential outreach programs and
co-chairing LASER, a statewide science teaching improvement program
for Washington state.

March
2005 - ASP Announces new Board of Directors Officers
for 2005. Dennis Schatz of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle,
Washington now serves as ASP President and joining him is James
Kaler, of James B. Kaler of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign,
as the new Vice-President. Both serve these positions until March
2007. Catharine Garmany of NOAO joins our distinguished list
of Past-Presidents and looks forward to remaining very active in
the ASP.

January
2005 - The ASP announces the launch of the new Electronic Access to recently
published Conference Series volumes. By the summer of 2005,
all titles published in 2004 and current publications will
be available electronically at no extra charge as well as in
printed form. Read more about
this exciting new feature.

August
24, 2004 - Dr. Harold McNamara, Professor of Astronomy at Brigham Young University,
has retired as Managing Editor of the ASP's Conference Series. Associate
Editor Dr. J. Ward Moody, also a Professor of Astronomy at BYU,
has been named Interim Managing Editor. More...

May
20, 2004 - The ASP is pleased to announce the 2004
ASP Award recipients, including Dr. Chushiro Hayashi, recipient
of the prestigious Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal and Dr.
Seth Shostak, selected to receive the Klumpke-Roberts Award. Read
more about all seven of our recipients and how to attend the
2004 Awards Banquet
honoring their significant contributions and accomplishments.

April
15, 2004
- This spring marks the 10th year of Project ASTRO, an innovative
program at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) that partners
amateur and professional astronomers with teachers around the country
to give students a hands-on introduction to astronomy.

Since
the program started in San Francisco and Los Angeles classrooms
in 1994, it has directly helped more than 103,000 students enjoy
and participate in the excitement of scientific discovery. Project
ASTRO is currently operating through 12 regional sites across the
nation. Read the full press
release to find out more details.

Dr.
Janet Akyüz Mattei 1943-2004

The
Universe became a bit darker on Monday, 22 March, with the death
of Dr. Janet Akyüz Mattei, long-time Director of the American
Association of Variable Star Observers and a former member of the
ASP's Board of Directors.

Through
her leadership of the international, nearly century-old AAVSO, through
her efforts to draw amateur and professional astronomers closer
together in their work, and through her passionate pursuit of improved
science education, Dr. Mattei brought her innate curiosity about
and love of the heavens to everyone fortunate enough to know her.

The
Board of Directors, Officers, Editors, and Staff of the Astronomical
Society of the Pacific are saddened by her passing and join the
international science community in celebrating her marvelous, stellar
life.

December
8, 2003 - NASA and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific announce the
official launch of the Night
Sky Network, a national coalition of astronomy clubs engaged
in public outreach. Participating clubs will have the opportunity
to use unique, engaging materials and demonstrations at all of their
events, participate in special content and presentation training,
involve more of their members in outreach, and even win national
recognition for their public outreach activities. Second round applications
are now being accepted through September 30th. Find
out how your astronomy club can apply.